Holistic Veterinary Care

What does the term “Holistic Care” mean?  Many historically have taken it to imply a natural approach to medicine centered around nutrition and supplements. While this is partly true, this strict  interpretation significantly misses the mark on the true meaning of holistic veterinary medicine.

Holistic is derived from the word “whole.”  From a medical perspective, holistic implies treating the whole patient, not just treating the symptoms. From this perspective, holistic veterinary medicine means integrative medicine that addresses the entirety of a particular patient’s case.  Relief of symptoms and direct treatment of disease necessarily has to be a significant component to treatment.  This is what many consider the traditional western approach to veterinary medicine.

With a holistic veterinary care approach, however, beyond relief of symptoms and direct treatment of the disease, illness or injury, we then consider what other nutritional, supplemental, or lifestyle standards can we apply to the patient to maximize the outcome, reduce dependency on medication, and prevent recurrence. In essence, after a successful western solution, let’s put measures in place to prop up the body to do what it does best: heal itself.

There are so many examples of natural remedies that facilitate management of disease and wellness that contribute to a comprehensive holistic veterinary care regimen:

• Milk thistle for liver health
• SAM-E for liver and brain health
• L-Carnitine for heart health
• Bromelain for joint health
• Glucosamine for joint health
• Chondroitin for joint health
• Omega-3-fatty acids for joint, brain, nerve, vascular, heart, and GI health
• Probiotics for gut and mental health
• Turmeric for inflammation reduction
• Curcumin to fight cancer
• Stasis breaker to fight cancer

This is but a few of the natural supplementation options we can choose from to optimize holistic veterinary care.  This small sampling offers a glimpse of the vast amount of ways to help veterinary patients.  However, holistic options do not necessarily have to be natural.  There are high tech holistic options that serve as powerful ancillary care for disease management.  A great example of this is the class IV therapy laser, commonly called “cold laser.”  Application of a class IV laser essentially wakes up tissues at the cellular level to super size their own intrinsic healing and pain management properties.  Class IV laser is therefore invaluable for orthopedic rehabilitation, wound healing, chronic infection, arthritis, spinal disc disease, kidney failure in cats, and much more.

I will offer you a perfect example of holistic veterinary care case below:

A dog tears his CCL, the canine equivalent of the ACL ligament of the human knee.  This is an injury that will not heal by itself, requiring surgical repair.  Thus, an initial western approach is necessary to surgically stabilize the joint and pain medication sent home with the patient to provide him comfort as he recovers. 

At the 4 weeks post-operative point, the patient begins a 2 week, 6 treatment regimen with a class IV laser.  The patient is also started on joint health supplement that contains glucosamine/chondroitin, as well as an omega-3-fish oil supplement to maintain healthy joint surfaces and minimize inflammation.  After the 6 laser treatments, the patient is gradually backed off with the goal of maintaining him long term on a touch up treatment once every 4-8 weeks. 

 At some point in the dog’s life the repaired knee will inevitably develop arthritis.  At this point, the frequency of laser treatments can be increased.  Under light sedation, a gel called OsteoCushion can be injected into the knee that will cushion the joint for up to a year providing relief.  We may want to start water treadmill therapy sessions to maintain muscle mass, flexibility, and mobility.  It may also be time to keep the pet parent supplied with anti-inflammatory medication to offer periodically if the dog is having a particular painful day.

This case example happens in my clinic every day.  There is no line drawn at western medicine, natural or nutritional medicine, or low tech versus high tech.  This case demonstrates just how powerfully we can help patient with a holistic veterinary care approach aimed at treating the WHOLE PATIENT!

Roger L. Welton, DVM

Founder/Chief Editor Web-DVM

CEO/Attending Veterinarian Premier Veterinary Care

Author, The Man in the White Coat

Host, The Space Coast Pet Podcast